Farewell in Irpin to Valentyn Bilych — the defense of "Giraffe" as a symbol of the community's resilience
In a human corridor lined with national flags, Irpin residents paid tribute to a defender who in 2022 held one of the city's toughest defensive positions. Why this loss matters not only to his family — we explain without pomposity.
By Tetiana Suchkova-Ladik
March 25, 2026 · 1 min read
The community honored a defender
Today the Irpin community laid Valentyn Bilich to his final rest. In a human corridor, with Ukrainian flags in their hands and with bowed heads, Irpin residents paid tribute to a man who without hesitation took up the defense of his native city.
In 2022 Valentyn, known by the call sign «Bilich», held the defense at one of the most difficult positions — the «Giraffe» checkpoint. His steadfastness and readiness to defend the city became part of the broader story of Irpin's defense and lifted the morale of residents and defenders around the capital.
“In the human corridor, with Ukrainian flags in hand, in silence and with bowed heads we paid tribute to a man who without hesitation stood up to defend his native Irpin. To the one who held the defense at the ‘Giraffe’ checkpoint. Valentyn was genuine — honest, principled, devoted. That is how we will remember him. Sincere condolences to the family, to his loved ones and to all who knew Valentyn. We share this pain with you. Eternal memory and glory to the Hero!”
— Oleksandr Pashchynskyi, first deputy mayor of Irpin
Representatives of the city council, volunteers and hundreds of residents attended the ceremony — a silent but telling testament to how the community values those who defended its homes. Such a presence is social proof: the memory of the defenders keeps the community together and shapes civic responsibility toward the families of the fallen.
What next? The loss of Valentyn is a reminder of the cost of security and the importance of supporting the families of the fallen. The memory of the ‘Giraffe’ checkpoint and its defenders must be preserved not only in emotions but also through concrete steps: documenting the history, and providing social and material assistance to the relatives. Whether the community can turn grief into lasting support for those left behind is a question whose answer depends on each of us.
